What is the most common reason a provider may order a clean-catch urine specimen?

This information explains how to collect a urine (pee) sample using the clean catch urine collection method. Using this method helps keep germs on the skin around your urinary opening (the hole where urine leaves your body) from getting into the urine sample.

A staff member will give you a urine collection kit. The kit has:

  • 1 urine cup
  • 1 Castile soap wipe
  • 3 benzalkonium chloride (BZK) cleansing wipes
  • 1 plastic bag

Instructions

What is the most common reason a provider may order a clean-catch urine specimen?

Figure 1. Cleaning the area between your labia

  1. Wash your hands with soap and water. Dry them with a paper towel.
  2. Open the urine cup without touching the inside. Put the lid down with the inside facing up. If you accidentally touch the inside of the cup or lid, please ask for a new one.
  3. Open the Castile soap wipe and all 3 BZK wipes. Keep them in their wrappers for now.
  4. Spread your labia (the folds of skin around your urinary opening and vagina) with the thumb and forefinger of your non-dominant hand (the hand you don’t write with).
  5. Use the Castile soap wipe to clean the area between your labia (see Figure 1). Throw the wipe away in the trash.
  6. Use the 3 BZK wipes to clean the area between your labia.
    • Wipe from front to back.
    • Use 1 wipe for the left side, 1 wipe for the right side, and 1 wipe for the center (over your urinary opening).
    • Throw the wipes away in the trash.
  7. Keeping your labia spread, stand over the toilet or commode. Start urinating into the toilet or commode (see Figure 2). Don’t collect the first part of your urine stream.
  8. Without stopping your urine stream and while spreading your labia, urinate into the urine cup until it’s half full (see Figure 3). Finish urinating in the toilet or commode.

    What is the most common reason a provider may order a clean-catch urine specimen?

    Figure 2. Urinating into the toilet or commode

    What is the most common reason a provider may order a clean-catch urine specimen?

    Figure 3. Urinating into the urine cup

  9. Tightly screw the lid onto the urine cup. Don’t touch the inside of the lid or cup or the yellow sticker.
  10. Wash your hands. Give the urine cup to the staff member.

If you have any questions, talk with a member of your healthcare team.

You should:

  • collect your pee (urine) sample in a completely clean (sterile) container
  • store it in a fridge in a sealed plastic bag if you can't hand it in straight away

Collecting a urine sample

Your doctor or another healthcare professional should give you a container and explain how you should collect the urine sample. 

You can collect a urine sample at any time of day, unless your GP or practice nurse advises you otherwise.

The types of urine sample you might be asked for include a random specimen, first morning specimen or timed collection.

To collect a urine sample you should:

  • label a sterile, screw-top container with your name, date of birth and the date
  • wash your hands 
  • start to pee and collect a sample of urine "mid-stream" in the container
  • screw the lid of the container shut
  • wash your hands thoroughly

Follow any other instructions your doctor has given you.

What is a mid-stream urine sample?

A mid-stream urine sample means you don't collect the first or last part of urine that comes out. This reduces the risk of the sample being contaminated with bacteria from:

  • your hands 
  • the skin around the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body

Storing a urine sample

If you can't hand your urine sample in within 1 hour, you should put the container in a sealed plastic bag then store it in the fridge at around 4C. Do not keep it for longer than 24 hours.

The bacteria in the urine sample can multiply if it is not kept in a fridge. If this happens, it could affect the test results.

What urine samples are used for?

Your GP or another healthcare professional may ask for a urine sample to help them diagnose or rule out certain health conditions.

Urine contains waste products that are filtered out of the body. If the sample contains anything unusual, it may indicate an underlying health problem.

Urine tests are most commonly done to check:

  • for infections – such as a urinary tract infection (UTI) or some sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as chlamydia in men
  • if you are passing any protein in your urine as a result of kidney damage – this is known as an ACR test

Find out more about operations, tests and procedures.

Further information

  • How should I collect and store a sample of poo (stool sample)?
  • How soon can I do a pregnancy test? 
  • Lab Tests Online UK: urine tests

Page last reviewed: 27 August 2019
Next review due: 27 August 2022

Why is a clean catch midstream specimen ordered?

The clean catch method is used to avoid contaminating the urine sample with bacteria that are normally present in the urethra and appear in a voided urine sample. It is used for a routine urinalysis, urine culture, or other urine tests that require uncontaminated urine for accurate results.

What are the reasons to collect a 24 hour urine specimen?

Why might I need a 24-hour urine collection? A 24-hour urine collection helps diagnose kidney problems. It is often done to see how much creatinine clears through the kidneys. It's also done to measure protein, hormones, minerals, and other chemical compounds.

Why is a clean catch urine specimen important quizlet?

Why is aspetic urine collection important when cultures are ordered? to avoid contaminated urine specimens. to get an accurate reading on bacteria present in the urinary tract.

Which urine test requires a midstream clean catch specimen?

Clean-catch midstream specimen: This sample type is collected if the urine is going to be cultured and examined for bacterial growth or used for cytology. 5. “Dirty collection:” This specimen will be used for DNA testing and the FIRST part of the voided stream is collected.